I bought a Samsung PS51D550 in India (the model number is PS51D550C1R, as opposed to PS51D550C1K in the UK) and the company’s Indian website lists v1020 as the latest version of the firmware. Would it be OK if I downloaded v1025 from the UK website and updated using it instead? I do not mind losing the regional language support but would there be any other issues?

I have it hooked up the my laptop and have noticed a problem I cannot seem to remove... When browsing the internet for example, opening the google homepage the image dims in brightness, but when changing another tab with less white, the image becomes much much brighter! The change is clearly visible and it goes from quite dim to really bright when just changing tabs!

I have it hooked up the my laptop and have noticed a problem I cannot seem to remove... When browsing the internet for example, opening the google homepage the image dims in brightness, but when changing another tab with less white, the image becomes much much brighter! The change is clearly visible and it goes from quite dim to really bright when just changing tabs!

I suggest to set Sharpness to 0, that's where it really belongs.
For PC, you may also want to try the PC mode: label your input as PC (edit the name of the HDMI1 input by hitting the Tools on the remote).

I suggest to set Sharpness to 0, that's where it really belongs.
For PC, you may also want to try the PC mode: label your input as PC (edit the name of the HDMI1 input by hitting the Tools on the remote).

Thanks, will do this... The brightness level is really disappointing, I wish something could be done Janos!

I just want to make sure, I would lose 1 out of 3 Hdmi inputs and 1 out of 2 usb ports? For HDMI ports did you use the image for calibration? I'm a little bit confused abotu the proper steps...

So you have used settings from the 1st page and you are saying the PQ is much better with the hack? Hmmm....

I wonder if this helps a little bit "pop" problem... cough cough...

Yes. I used the settings from page one with the hack. I also bought an hdmi splitter from amazon for 11 dollars. It splits 3 hdmi into 1 and then I have DVD player with hdmi out plugged in to the dummy port... So I'm only using 2 hdmi inputs on tv.

For media players, you should use Limited RGB or YCC (the one which gives you a smoother gradient with the Garyscale test video from the AVSHD test disc Misc/Additional section).
For PCs and game consoles, you should use Full Range RGB.

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Notes:
- The Cool color tone is NOT a mistake! Do not use WARM2 with my Service Menu White Balance settings, those are for Cool!
- You will see some "virtual black clipping" with the Black Clipping test video from the AVSDH disc. This is intentional. Do NOT increase Brightness! The reason is that the darkest non-black shade belongs to ~21, not 17 (you only mess up the gamma and possibly cause some banding if you increase the brightness - and thus destroy some of the contrast feeling).
- If the reference black is dark gray (with dither noise, not clean MLL black/"gray") then do not rush to decrease Brightness! You probably need to revisit your input/output format setting (Limited/Full-RGB \\ YCC <-> Normal/Low).
- You need to use separate HDMI connectors for 24(+50)Hz and 60Hz because the device has one memory slot per inputs.
- Do not worry if something is grayed out. For example, Film Mode - Auto1 is only for interlaced (50Hz and 60Hz TV) signals, HDMI Black is only for RGB signals...

- In the Black Clipping test video from the AVSDH disc, I can see clipping from 11, must I decrease brightness to reach 21 clipping ?
That's stange, we have same models EU PS51D550. Samsung changed my panel 3 times for dead pixels ( so I had 4 panels since the beginning and all of them were identicals, no differences in settings ). My set is from Hungary V2, August 2011, could it make the difference with your set ? ).

- Cool mode is fine but I play Xbox 360 with VGA input, in this mode, I can't choose cool, normal is the minimum. In this case the white is too yellow for me. How can I do to correct this ?

- In the Black Clipping test video from the AVSDH disc, I can see clipping from 11, must I decrease brightness to reach 21 clipping ? That's stange, we have same models EU PS51D550.

It is indeed strange.

What is you input format: YCC (sometimes called Rec709/Rec609 in player menus), Limited Range RGB (16-235, often called "TV Levels" or "Normal") or Full Range RGB (0-255, sometimes called Extended/Expanded or "PC levels").

The HDMI Black setting is grayed out as Normal when the TV receives YCC. (This should clip the blacker-than-black shades just like the Low RGB mode but allow some whiter-than-white.)
You can choose Normal for Full Range or Low for Limited Range input.

Try to set your media player to Limited RGB and the TV to Low if YCC shows the BTB with my settings.

Quote:

Originally Posted by KevinNash

My set is from Hungary V2, August 2011, could it make the difference with your set ? ).

I am Hunagian, I live ~20 kilometers away from the Samsung Factory. But I have a Rev 01 hardware (I bought it in April). Samsung replaced my main-borad in September but I think it's the same hardware revision (the safe-mode backup firmware is actually older on this one).

Quote:

Originally Posted by KevinNash

- Cool mode is fine but I play Xbox 360 with VGA input, in this mode, I can't choose cool, normal is the minimum. In this case the white is too yellow for me. How can I do to correct this ?

It's very-very easy: GET A HDMI CABLE! It's a stupid thing to use analog VGA connection between two digital devices and you won't be able to sync your calibration settings (use Cool in all Picture modes because that is what we calibrated in the Service Menu).

Optionally: Play with the (HDMI) cable setup until you see the XBox picture on the HDMI1 source (in the menu, not physically). This way you can also try PC mode for gaming (lower input lag, better RGB reproduction ; but less accurate colors without CMS).

And you will need 60Hz settings for the XBox anyway. The earlier post contains CinemaSmooth calibration only. (However, the SM settings are shared, so the 100% white should be close to D65 in any picture modes with Cool.)

What is you input format: YCC (sometimes called Rec709/Rec609 in player menus), Limited Range RGB (16-235, often called "TV Levels" or "Normal") or Full Range RGB (0-255, sometimes called Extended/Expanded or "PC levels").

Do you suggest HMDI black low and 16-235 or HDMI black normlal and 0-255 for the popbox ?

On 1026, HDMI black is low ( default setting ) when I put on normal, brightness really raise since 1026.

Quote:

Originally Posted by janos666

I am Hunagian, I live ~20 kilometers away from the Samsung Factory.

Congrats for your english level, really better than mine !

Quote:

Originally Posted by janos666

It's very-very easy: GET A HDMI CABLE! It's a stupid thing to use analog VGA connection between two digital devices and you won't be able to sync your calibration settings (use Cool in all Picture modes because that is what we calibrated in the Service Menu).

Optionally: Play with the (HDMI) cable setup until you see the XBox picture on the HDMI1 source (in the menu, not physically). This way you can also try PC mode for gaming (lower input lag, better RGB reproduction ; but less accurate colors without CMS).

No problem, I'll do that, get Ã* 3 meters HDMI cables ( my Xbox, amp and mediaplayer are on the right side of my sammy )

I don't know if PC mode is a good idea, in this mode, it's like VGA mode, you can't do a lot of settings. Also, I use an audio-video amp with 1 HDMI output, so if I set sammy HDMI1 on PC mode, I must switch the name of the input each time I use my mediaplayer or my Xbox. But I'll try connecting my amp on HDMI2 and Xbox on HDMI1 ( in the menu of course, because of the hack ).

Do you suggest HMDI black low and 16-235 or HDMI black normlal and 0-255 for the popbox ?

Try 16-235 and Low first. If it feels good then leave it there.
Or try 0-255 with Normal but I doubt it will be any better (it may give you brighter peak white but probably worse grayscale).

Open the Grayscale video from Misc/Additional (AVCHD709 disc) and choose the setup which gives you the smoothest gradient.

Quote:

Originally Posted by KevinNash

Congrats for your english level, really better than mine !

I couldn't even write down the word: Hungarian. But thanks.

Quote:

Originally Posted by KevinNash

No problem, I'll do that, get Ã* 3 meters HDMI cables ( my Xbox, amp and mediaplayer are on the right side of my sammy )

I don't know if PC mode is a good idea, in this mode, it's like VGA mode, you can't do a lot of settings. Also, I use an audio-video amp with 1 HDMI output, so if I set sammy HDMI1 on PC mode, I must switch the name of the input each time I use my mediaplayer or my Xbox. But I'll try connecting my amp on HDMI2 and Xbox on HDMI1 ( in the menu of course, because of the hack ).

You need a HDMI switch if you want to go through the A/V-Receiver.

Yes, PC mode is less precise and less accurate. But it has lower input lag and better RGB 4:4:4 reproduction. It's theoretically optimized for gaming!
I don't suggest to use it, I just said you can try.
The only available controls in PC mode are the white balance and gamma. I don't currently have settings for that mode but I plan to give it a shot. I didn't test it since the update...

The TV has only one memory slot for every HDMI inputs. It means you have to use one input for 24Hz and another for 60Hz (if you have any 50Hz materials, the CinemaSmooth settings will be good enough for that).

I am finding the only picture setting that gives me a bright, life like imagine is Dynamic... This is with an unhacked D550.... Will the hack help me get around this guys?

Also why is it using HDMI 1, that I only get the Dynamic option @ 1080P 24hz, and not 1080P 60hz? I've moved my PC to HDMI 2 to get around this as it allows Dynamic at all modes, the problem is I think if I use HDMI 2 I need to adjust the PC output to 16-235 as this port expects that, where as HDMI 1 expects 0-255?

Thing is my HD4500 Intel does not seem to have the option, basically, I just can't win! Guess if I want Dynamic in all modes I need to accept black crush.

I am finding the only picture setting that gives me a bright, life like imagine is Dynamic... This is with an unhacked D550.... Will the hack help me get around this guys?

I think a good doctor should check your eyes. Dynamic is simply awful.
(Unless your unit has seriously messed up Movie mode settings.)

Sorry, but this is the truth. The default Dynamic mode is catastrophic and you can't get anything good out of it, no matter what settings you use inside Dynamic.

Quote:

Originally Posted by markswift

Also why is it using HDMI 1, that I only get the Dynamic option @ 1080P 24hz, and not 1080P 60hz? I've moved my PC to HDMI 2 to get around this as it allows Dynamic at all modes, the problem is I think if I use HDMI 2 I need to adjust the PC output to 16-235 as this port expects that, where as HDMI 1 expects 0-255?

So I am right in thinking that I can use my PC at 0-255 (I don't have an option to select limited at PC with the intel GPU...) and use black level set to normal in the settings this will tell the TV to expect the 0-255 signal and not crush the blacks?

Sorry, but Movie mode is just so dim for me, even at contrast 95 and brightness 60, cell 20... Dynamic seems to be the only one that actually gives a bright image! :-(

So I am right in thinking that I can use my PC at 0-255 (I don't have an option to select limited at PC with the intel GPU...) and use black level set to normal in the settings this will tell the TV to expect the 0-255 signal and not crush the blacks?
(

Exactly, your PC will output full range RGB and your sammy will input full range with HDMI black normal setting

I tried your 1026 24p movie settings janos666, I can't believe my eyes What a beauty. The only differences are HDMI black low ( input 16-235 RGB ) and I prefer gamma 0 and cells 16 on my side. By the way, the PQ is really outstanding, thank you very much !

Just one detail : my hue and color with AVCHD Flashing Color Bars pattern and the RGB blue test, I have differences in the blue flashs.

I didn't change the settings but before I had color 47 and G52/R48 to match this pattern, did your set match the pattern with hue 50/50 and color 50 ? What do you think, must I adjust mine to match ?

I'll try game settings tomorrow with my Xbox360, I can choose HDMI color space HDMI output : RVB or YCbCr709 or YCbCr601. Wich one of the threes do you suggest me to try with your settings ?

You are free to set Cell Light lower, it doesn't change the colors (only a little bit but the unit-to-unit variance is higher).

But the 10p adjustments are almost completely useless if you change the Gamma.
Why do you change it? -2 is the proper setting for dark rooms and I assume you sit in the dark if you lowered the Cell Light.

I don't use the color/tint controls, they are redundant with a calibrated Custom Color Space. I can think about many reasons why it looks drifted:
- You changed the Gamma (and Cell Light -> many small things can accumulate in a noticeable drift...)
- I calibrated with 0-255 RGB, so in your case, the range expansion happens in the TV. It should be theoretically the same, but nothing is perfect...
- Unit-to-unit variance (this is why every units should be uniquely calibrated).
- The CMS isn't perfectly linear, the gamut luminance will be spot-on at one level only. The AVSHD709 pattern uses different levels than I used for the color space calibration (and it also have different APL, etc).

1: I suggest you to set Gamma to -2 for a day to see if you like it after all.

2: Check the color/tint patter again if it's better with Gamma -2 and Cell 20. But even if it's not, I don't think you should change those controls. -> Note that "blue only" is blue only. I mean you may have some blue error, but Color and Tint affects all colors and blue only mode tells nothing about them, so you may cause more harm than good for Red and Green (+ every mixed colors).

Set the TV to Normal HDMI Black and try to find the proper setting on you Xbox. (You want Full Range RGB.)
As I remember, the XBox is STUPID, it has an "Intermediante" level setting which freaked me out at the first time I saw it (WTF???). I am sure the right choice is not this one but one of the other two.
The correct choice is when black back-grounds are black and not noisy gray.

OK I tried this hack, and it seems to work fine as far as the actual hack goes, but I can't seem to figure out my HDMI ports.

Basically, I run everything to my receiver and one HDMI cable from receiver to the TV. However, I know that we have to occupy an "idle" port, so I followed what one user did early in the thread...,

I bough a 1 into 2 HDMI splitter and connected this to my DVR. I have one HDMI output going to the receiver and the other to HDMI PORT 2 on the TV.

Then, I have the receiver going to HDMI PORT 4 on the TV.

This works fine when I am watching the DVR, but when I switch to Blu Ray..., which goes through the receiver, it isn't detected by the TV at HDMI port 4. This is with the DVR OFF.

So, I tried turning the DVR on to see if it had to be on to trigger the "idle" port, but it simply started displaying on the screen even though it is going to HDMI Port 2 and the TV is selected to HDMI port 4.

OK I tried this hack, and it seems to work fine as far as the actual hack goes, but I can't seem to figure out my HDMI ports.

Basically, I run everything to my receiver and one HDMI cable from receiver to the TV. However, I know that we have to occupy an "idle" port, so I followed what one user did early in the thread...,

I bough a 1 into 2 HDMI splitter and connected this to my DVR. I have one HDMI output going to the receiver and the other to HDMI PORT 2 on the TV.

Then, I have the receiver going to HDMI PORT 4 on the TV.

This works fine when I am watching the DVR, but when I switch to Blu Ray..., which goes through the receiver, it isn't detected by the TV at HDMI port 4. This is with the DVR OFF.

So, I tried turning the DVR on to see if it had to be on to trigger the "idle" port, but it simply started displaying on the screen even though it is going to HDMI Port 2 and the TV is selected to HDMI port 4.

I hope you followed all of that.

Any suggestions?

I´m not an expert here, but it isn´t better to have 1 HDMI receiver-TV (the one that you shall use) and other HDMI receiver-TV to do the idle port job? without any splitter, if this is your configuration then I don´t understand what you say xD.

I´m about to buy this TV because here in my country is the most affordable TV, the others series are way out of my budget, even in sale!!.

You have to have at least 2 hdmi cables going into the display for one to work. If you use hdmi4 you have to have another device plugged into hdmi2. If you want to use another port you have to have 3 plugged in, including one idle. If you want 3 hdmi inputs to work you have to have 4 hdmi cables connected with one of them being idle.

I´m not an expert here, but it isn´t better to have 1 HDMI receiver-TV (the one that you shall use) and other HDMI receiver-TV to do the idle port job? without any splitter, if this is your configuration then I don´t understand what you say xD.

I´m about to buy this TV because here in my country is the most affordable TV, the others series are way out of my budget, even in sale!!.